


This Iron Taste - Dick and Tiger

by RichardGraysonPercyJackson



Series: Batfamily Torture Shorts [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Blood, Coughing, Heart-to-Heart, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, Tiger cares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 09:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19292644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichardGraysonPercyJackson/pseuds/RichardGraysonPercyJackson
Summary: "Grayson.""Yeah?""You're injured.""Guess I'll die soon. You should be happy."





	This Iron Taste - Dick and Tiger

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Coughing blood  
> Main character(s): Dick and Tiger

“Look at me.”

Dick rolled his eyes and ignored his partner, keeping his back to Tiger as he took a seat on his bed in the hotel, coughing wetly into the crook of his arm as he reached down to unlace his boots.

“Grayson.”

“Yeah?” Dick asked.

“You’re injured.”

Dick scoffed. “Guess I’ll die soon. You should be happy.”

Tiger clicked his tongue and Dick could easily picture him crossing his arms over his chest, glaring at the back of Dick’s head.

“I refuse to work with an ill partner,” Tiger declared. “Turn around. Let me look you over.”

“I’m  _ fine _ , Tiger,” Dick insisted, glancing at the man over his shoulder and hoping Tiger couldn’t see how pale he was. Hoped there wasn’t any blood lingering on his lips. He turned back to his shoes, wondering why it was taking so much strength to take them off and stay upright. “Seriously. Go take a shower.”

“You have been coughing for hours,” Tiger said firmly. “Something’s wrong.”

“It’s just a cough, Tiger,” Dick said, exasperated. “Normal people get coughs sometimes. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“It will give us away on the mission,” Tiger growled. The hotel room was silent until he huffed. “I will take a shower and then go out for cough medicine since you are clearly in capable of doing anything without your butler to hold your hand.”

That made Dick angry and he got to his feet and spun around, world spinning with him. 

“I don’t know what your fucking probelm is with me,” he snapped. “But it needs to stop. Now. I am not the self entitled brat you seem to think I am and it’s really fucking pissing me off that-you’re not even listening to me.”

“Show me your arm.”

Just to spite him, Dick crossed his arms over his chest. “No.”

Tiger raised an eyebrow. “You wonder why I think you’re a self entitled brat. Stop being stubborn and show me your arm.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my arm!”

“I saw blood.”

Oh. Whoops. “It’s nothing.”

Tiger’s eyes hardened. “Are you coughing up blood?”

Dick huffed. There was no use in lying  _ now _ . “Just a little,” he replied.

“Just a-” Tiger closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Probably to prevent himself from punching Dick. But what did Dick know? He was sick?

That internal voice sounded a lot of Damian.

Tiger’s voice was oddly softer when he spoke again. “Grayson... _ Dick _ . Do you understand how dangerous coughing up blood can be?”

“Obviously,” Dick replied.

“It can mean internal bleeding,” Tiger went on to explain, uncrossing his arms to let them hang by his side. If Dick didn’t know any better, he’d assume the other was trying to be gentle.

Ha. Tiger being gentle. That’s funny.

“I know,” Dick said. “There’s no internal bleeding, Tiger, I’m fine.”

“You’re coughing up blood so clearly you’re not fine.” 

Dick wished he would go back to yelling. “I’m fine,” he said again. “I have to be.”

Tiger was silent for a moment. “For who?” he asked. “Who do you have to be fine for? Bruce Wayne?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s no wonder you’re like this,” Tiger said firmly. “Did your parents make you practice and preform when you were sick or injured in the Circus?”

Dick couldn’t help but feel mildly touched that Tiger had remembered that he grew up in a circus.

“No,” he said softly. “It wasn’t safe.”

“So why is it safe with Wayne? Or now?”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

Dick didn’t have an answer. “It just is.”

“New rule,” Tiger declared. “If you are unwell, you tell me and we take a break from the mission for you to get better. Your health is important, Grayson.”

Dick nodded. “Okay.”

Tiger gave a short nod in return. “Now that you understand that, gather what you need. We’re going to the ER.”

“Thank you, Tiger.”

“For?”

“Caring.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your thoughts!!


End file.
